Unit of competency
Modification History
Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to PMAOPS362A Operate a blast furnace
Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to operate a blast furnace.
The blast furnace will typically be used in an industrial scale metalliferous processing facility. Blast furnaces, in common with smelters, have a solid feed and a molten product produced by a reduction reaction. However, they operate with a counter current blast of hot air and reductant gases. This unit of competency applies to iron, lead and copper blast furnaces. However, it may be applied to other metals and ores with appropriate contextualisation.
This unit of competency applies to operations technicians who are required to demonstrate a significant understanding of the process and the equipment operation in order to identify and rectify operational problems, determine and apply the raw materials feed, contribute to start-up and shutdown processes, and operate and monitor equipment.
This unit of competency applies to an individual operating independently in a plant with local control or in liaison with the control room operator in a plant with a centralised control panel, such as distributed control system (DCS) type controls. In the case of large complex plant, the operations technician would be part of a team during start-up and shutdown procedures.
This unit of competency applies to an individual working alone or as part of a team or group and working in liaison with other shift team members and the control room operator, as appropriate.
This competency does not require the operation of a central control panel.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Pre-requisite Unit
Nil
Competency Field
Operations
Unit Sector
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. |
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
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1 |
Prepare for work |
1.1 |
Receive and give shift handover |
1.2 |
Identify work requirements |
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1.3 |
Identify and control hazards |
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1.4 |
Coordinate with appropriate personnel |
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1.5 |
Check for recent work undertaken on blast furnace |
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1.6 |
Note any outstanding/incomplete work |
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1.7 |
Check operational status of blast furnace |
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2 |
Operate blast furnace |
2.1 |
Describe the type of blast furnace, the component plant items and their duties |
2.2 |
Complete routine checks, logs and paperwork taking action on unexpected readings |
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2.3 |
Change rate, grade or specification smoothly as required |
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2.4 |
Adjust feeds, composition and rate, air flows and temperatures to meet production requirements |
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2.5 |
Adjust blast furnace and its component plant items as appropriate to their type and duty to maximise performance |
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3 |
Diagnose and take action on abnormal situations in accordance with procedures |
3.1 |
Monitor blast furnace and its component plant items frequently and critically throughout shift using measured/indicated data and senses |
3.2 |
Describe impacts of any changes upstream and downstream |
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3.3 |
Recognise actual and developing situations which may require action |
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3.4 |
Apply operational knowledge to resolve problems |
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3.5 |
Take other actions on abnormal situations which cannot be resolved during the shift to ensure safety and the resolution of the situation |
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3.6 |
Follow through items initiated until final resolution has occurred |
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4 |
Isolate and de-isolate blast furnace and its component plant items |
4.1 |
Complete any required pre-start checks |
4.2 |
Start up/shut down blast furnace according to the blast furnace type and duty in liaison with other personnel |
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4.3 |
Start up/shut down/changeover component plant items within unit according to their type and duty in liaison with other personnel |
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4.4 |
Isolate entire blast furnace and/or any component plant item |
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4.5 |
Make safe for required work |
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4.6 |
Check blast furnace/plant item is ready to be returned to service |
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4.7 |
De-isolate and prepare blast furnace/plant item for return to service |
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range of Conditions
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. |
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Regulatory framework |
The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used, and include one or more of the following:
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence. |
Hazards |
Hazards include one or more of the following:
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Routine problems |
Routine problems are predictable and have known solutions and include one or more of the following:
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Non-routine problems |
Non-routine problems are unexpected problems, or variations of previous problems and must be resolved by applying operational knowledge to develop new solutions, either individually or in collaboration with relevant experts, to:
Operational knowledge includes one or more of the following:
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Start up/shut down |
Start up/shut down includes the following:
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Procedures |
All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, include one or more of the following:
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Operate |
Operate is to monitor, adjust/make change to the production unit and/or its component items to meet specifications, by one or both of the following:
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Product |
Product includes anything produced by a process step and so includes:
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Logs and reports |
Logs and reports include one or more of the following:
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Work requirements |
Work requirements will be identified from one or more of the following:
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Unit Mapping Information
Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to PMAOPS362A Operate a blast furnace
Links
Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=9fc2cf53-e570-4e9f-ad6a-b228ffdb6875